Bananatex® is the world’s first durable, biodegradable and plastic-free fabric made purely from regeneratively grown Abacá banana plants. Cultivated in a permaculture environment in the Philippine mid- and highlands within a natural ecosystem of sustainable mixed agriculture and forestry, the plant is sturdy and self-sufficient, requiring no pesticides, fertilizers or extra water. These qualities have allowed it to contribute to reforestation in areas of former rainforest that were once cleared for logging, whilst enhancing biodiversity and the economic prosperity of local farmers.

Three years of research and development resulted in a new material that answers questions of environmental, economic and social sustainability. As an open-source project, Bananatex® offers a truly circular alternative to the synthetic fabrics that dominate the market today.